Christopher Moore awarded $30,000 in back pay, but more questions linger

ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando area gun range was ordered to pay a former worker months of back pay after investigators said he was fired for asking his employer about the possibility of lead poisoning.

On Jan. 24, a federal judge ordered the owner of The Shooting Gallery Range to pay Christopher Moore $30,000 in wages that the Department of Labor claimed he lost.

In a lawsuit filed by the department, they claimed: “Moore learned that his children tested positive for lead poisoning, and he became concerned that the children’s lead poisoning may have resulted from his own exposure to high lead levels at the shooting gallery.”

The department claimed Moore was terminated when he brought it to his bosses' attention.

The children’s mother told News 6 back pay isn’t enough.

She said both of her children experienced lead levels at the ages of two and three that were beyond safe.

“I was like constantly at the pediatrician’s office,” said Giselle Velazquez. “It was constant. I was going in there and telling them this doesn’t look normal, or this doesn’t seem normal, or shouldn’t he be doing this, or shouldn’t she be doing that.”

According to medical records supplied by Velasquez, her children's lead levels measured a 14 on a scale where anything above a five was considered abnormal.

"It was just like a 'wow' moment," she said.

Since then, she said both of her children have been placed into special needs education, with symptoms of anxiety disorders, impulse and mood irregularities, and attention issues.

Now, Velazquez said she’s exploring all of her legal options.

"Who makes the monthly payments to my kids for the countless number of occupational therapy sessions? Behavioral therapy sessions? The number of soiled pants that I have to clean up after for a five-year-old who can’t control his bowel movements? " she asked.

News 6 contacted the Shooting Range Gallery for a comment on the settlement and the claims Velazquez made about her children.

Workers said the company had no comment.

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About the Author:

Erik Sandoval joined the News 6 team as a reporter in May 2013. He is one of the station’s lead reporters.
During his time at News 6, Erik has covered several major stories, including the 2016 Presidential campaign. He was also one of the first reporters live on the air at the Pulse Nightclub shooting.